To Rebuild a Kingdom
by Magma Red
Summary: Terraria. An abandoned island home to the crumbling ruins of a once mighty kingdom, destroyed by the shrouded darkness of evil. Now forgotten from the memory of man, an emotionless pariah seeks to re-build the kingdom, restoring it to the former glory it had, and defend it from anything that would see to it's destruction. Easier with in the mind, but no one said it would be so...
1. The Stranger

**AN- So...this is my first Terraria fanfic, and I have only one thing left to say...which Asher will say.**

**Asher: Magma does not own Terraria. Any references to movies, games, products, TV shows, etc. are also not owned by Magma. Only Sarid belongs to Magma.**

* * *

The Stranger

Asher opened a door, breathing in the fresh air. He had been in the library all day, so it was nice to feel the breeze and sun on his face, people walking along the streets, chattering or carrying groceries, children playing.

"See you tomorrow!" The librarian called.

"Same to you!" Asher replied, he going down the steps, and onto the dirt streets, walking with the rest of the people. Stretching his legs felt good, too.

He liked working at the library, able to read in his spare time and quiet, but it was too quiet. He lived in this town all his life, and it had become a bit of a bore. They lived at the edge of the kingdom, never really hearing about anything unless it was at a major scale, and even then that rarely happened.

_What am I to do? _He wondered. He didn't have enough coin to move anywhere, so-

Silence.

People had stopped talking, and all heads were turned to look at one thing, which Asher took with surprise.

A man around sixteen perhaps was coming up the road to the town.

He wore the kingdom's blue uniform, but his tie was used to bandage a cut on his fore head, his coat and shirt used to bandage gashes on his side and leg, people able to see the blood coming through the cloth, he having only his black boots, blue pants, and white under shirt that was smeared with mud.

His muscled arms were scratched and bruised badly, he had a black eye swelled shut, and an arrow wound on his shoulder, forcing him to carry his pack in his hand, a tree limb assisting him in walking.

Everyone stood, silent and staring.

The sixteen-year-old came to the edge of town, where he stopped, looking at everyone with a blank, emotionless face.

"Doc...tor..." He wheezes.

"I'll take you there." Asher says, stepping forward. The stranger shuffled forward before falling to his uninjured leg, then to the ground all together.

"ALERT DOC!" Asher yells, people finally moving. Asher and some others picked the stranger up, rushing up the streets to Doc's home, where he stood, wearing his medical coat.

"Oh my..." He says, seeing the stranger's wounds. "Get him inside! Get him inside!"

They did so, putting him in one of the patient rooms, then being shooed out by Doc, who went to work.

Later...

Doc sighed, cracking his neck and wiping his bloody hands on a towel. The stranger's wounds had been cleaned, treated, and bandaged with white cloth, the stranger asleep in the bed. He had defensive wounds, and the arrow wound had gone straight through his shoulder, and the gashes in his side and leg had caused heavy blood loss.

He was surprised the boy hadn't passed out sooner.

He also _reeked _of skunk weed. Doc would have to make sure the bed linens were changed, not just from the smell, but the boy was mud-covered to where Doc hadn't even know his hair was platinum blonde till he treated the wound on his forehead.

Another interesting thing: He was a girl.

She was small in the chest enough to pass for a man, and her features were neutral to also pass as a man.

No wonder they were so badly beat up. Women weren't allowed in the army. Either she was discovered, or she left.

It didn't matter. Doc wasn't telling a soul.

He removed his coat and put it into a laundry basket, taking his cane in hand and going out onto his front porch, where the town had gathered.

"Is he okay?!" Someone yelled.

"He'll be fine!" Doc says, everyone breathing out relief. "He's young and healthy, so he'll recover quickly."

Before any other questions could be asked, he went back into his home, shutting the door.

_Young people these days, always so nosy..._ He thought, sitting in his rocker, warming his hands at the fire. Then leaning back, he closed his eyes and rocked, enjoying the quiet and the warmth of the fire.

* * *

_"YOU TRAITOR!"_

_ "TURN COAT!"_

_ "Back-stabbing fiend!"_

_ "You know the rules!"_

_ "I'll find you! You know I will! I'll scour every inch of this country if I have to, just you watch! I'll get you!"_

Sarid's bright blue eyes popped open, drawing a quick breath.

The bed he laid in was clean, and the room had the late afternoon, golden sun rays coming through a window. He could still smell the skunk weed on him from attempting to lose the hounds, and his side, leg, and shoulder throbbed with pain. His under cloths were on him, he saw his backpack laying on a table in the room - a hospital?

Yes, yes...right before he blacked out...the people must have carried him.

Sarid winced as he sat up, getting out of the bed, all his weight on his good leg. Folded clothes also sat on the table, he pulling them on. White shorts and baggy shirt, they were difficult due to his shoulder injury, but he pushed through.

After that, he pulled his boots on, then hobbled to the door, opening it.

The room before him was plain and simple, few pictures hung on the walls, and there was an archway to a kitchen and more doors that must've lead to more hospital rooms. There were stairs going to an upper floor, and an elderly man sat in a rocking chair in front of the fire place.

His hair was white and a bit wavy, he wore a white dress shirt and dark red vest, black pants and his shoes were brown leather.

He turned his head to look at Sarid, showing spectacles in front of his green eyes and a dark teal tie tucked under his vest.

"Feeling better, girly?" He asked.

"..." Sarid said and felt nothing, no emotion on his face or in his eyes.

"Don't worry." The elder said, looking back at the fire. "I'm not tellin' a soul."

"..." Sarid still said nothing.

"Come, come." The man waved, Sarid hobbling over, and lowing himself into a chair in front of the fire place. "Name's Doc. As you can guess, I'm the doctor in this village."

"..." Sarid still said nothing. "...Thank you for your hospitality."

"You're welcome." Doc told him. "What's your name, girly?"

"My name is Sarid." He told him.

"Sarid...That's a good name." Doc said. "So, you're being hunted by the military I presume?"

"...Yes sir." Sarid answers. "I wished to leave."

"Leave?" Doc asked, looking at Sarid with confusion. "You're sixteen."

"I was ahead." Sarid answers. "I graduated three days ago."

"Ah...Didn't want to spend five years doing nothing in a peaceful kingdom." Doc replies, nodding and looking back into the fire. "You must be something smart to survive and hide your gender for so long."

"Hm." Sarid hums.

"Top of your class?"

"Yes sir."

"That's good."

They sat in silence for a while longer.

"So, Sarid, what do you plan on doing?" Doc asks. "You're a wanted traitor, and a girl that went through military school. That's a beheading and banishment..."

"I'm not staying." Sarid tells him, staring into the fire. "There's something I need to do."

"Suit yourself." Doc answers. "Just don't get yourself killed."

"..." Sarid says nothing, still staring into the fire.

"...How long have you have Alexithymia?" Doc asks.

"My whole life." Sarid mumbles, then starting to get up.

"Don't push yourself now." Doc tells him. "You sit there and rest a bit more. I'll get you something to eat."

Sarid sat in the chair, staring into the fire, looking up when Doc brought him a bowl of soup.

"Here you are, girly." He tells Sarid, who took the bowl.

"Thank you." He mumbles. He ate the soup, then hobbled back to the patient room, shutting the door. He laid down in the bed, falling to sleep.

* * *

Doc sat, rocking back and forth, when a knock at his door brought him to his feet. He took his cane and went to the door, opening it to see Asher.

"Good evening." Doc said.

"Good evening, Doc." Asher replied. "How's the stranger?"

"He's doing well. His name's Sarid, by the way." Doc tells him.

"Is he hurt too badly?"

"Oh no. He's already up and about; should be good to go by tomorrow noon."

"Well, you are the best doctor the world has to offer."

"Only surpassed by my daughter."

"True...Well, I was just checking on the fellow." Asher tells him. "I'll stop by tomorrow morning."

"Alright. Have a good night." Doc tells him, Asher closing the door, and Doc looking back into the fire.

The next morning…

Sarid woke, staring at the ceiling. His shoulder, side and leg were much, much better, the injuries gone. He got up, dressed himself in spare clothes from his pack, a white short sleeved shirt, blue vest with a hood and dark blue pants, then his military boots. He combed his hair, then shouldered his pack, exiting the room into the main one, where Doc already sat in his rocking chair.

"Mornin', girly." He said. "Breakfast's on the table."

Sarid said nothing, but went to the kitchen, where a plate of fried eggs and ham sat, ready to be eaten. After he did so, he washed off the plate, and returned to the main room.

"How much?" Sarid asks.

"Ten Silver." Doc answers.

Sarid stood silent, then took off his pack, digging through it. He came across a hammer and saw, putting them on the table next to Doc.

"Will these pay?" He asks.

"Well…" Doc answers, looking at them with a keen eye. "…They're in good condition. I'll take 'em."

"Thank you." Sarid answers, then going to the door, pulling his backpack on. Opening the door, he saw another man standing there, his hand raised to knock.

His hair was a messy brown with his eyes the same color, his coat a pale green and blue pants, brown shoes and tanned skin.

"…" He blinked with surprise, Sarid's face emotionless.

"Oh…H-hi, I was just coming to see how you were doing." He tells Sarid.

"…Hm." Sarid hums, stepping past him and out into the street. Everyone stood still watching him, wondering what he was going to do.

Sarid looked up at the sky, watching the clouds and turning to look at the sun, then looking down both ways of the main road.

"…" He turns, heading east.

"The ocean's that way!" One man from the crowd calls.

"That's where I'm headed." Sarid answers.

"…Where?" Asher asks. "There's nothing out that way!"

"Incorrect." Sarid answers, people now following him as he walked.

"There's nothing _out_ there! Just an empty island!" Asher tells him, remembering the stories he had read.

"Do the math." Sarid tells him, everyone slowing down to a stop as they reached to outskirts of the village, Sarid continuing.

"…You're going out to that island? By yourself?!"

"Yes." Sarid calls. They watched as he kept walking, then as he slowed his pace to a stop.

The island out there, empty, vast, untamed and full of the unknown.

Not a single human to meet, strange creatures to fight, and goodness knows what treasures to find, things to see and knowledge to learn…

"Let me come with you!" Asher blurts.

Sarid turned head, looking at him as the rest of the small town let out small gasps.

"Please, let me come with you!" He says again. "It'll be less dangerous with two people! I-I can help! I known all kinds of things!"

"…" Sarid turns all the way around, then walks back, stopping a few feet away. "…You can?"

"Yes."

"…If you come, you cannot cause trouble." Sarid tells him. "You must carry your weight."

"I will."

"…" Sarid blinks. After a moment, he turns away, looking up at the sky. "…Ten minutes. Pack your belongings."

A bright smile spread across Asher's face, right before he turned and ran as fast as he could, through the crowd and down the main road.

"Where're you headed?!" Doc calls from his porch, where he rocked in his chair.

"To adventure in the unknown!" He calls, not stopping.

TEN MINUTES LATER…

Sarid watched as the crowd parted, Asher coming through, riding on a cart pulled by a horse, the back of the cart having crates in it.

"…Crates?" Sarid asks.

"They've got my books in them." Asher tells him. "I don't have much personal belongings."

"…Very well." Sarid tells him, putting his back pack into the back of the cart, climbing up and sitting next to Asher.

"So long!" Asher calls over his shoulder, whipping the reigns, the horse moving forward, hooves beating against the ground in a trot.

The villagers called good bye, waving to them, Asher keeping the big smile on his face. Sarid was silent, his face emotionless and staring ahead.

After sometime, they were well into the forest, headed towards a sea-side town.

"So the island we're going to, do you know anything about it?" Asher asks, looking at Sarid, who still kept his emotionless face.

"I did research." Sarid answers.

"…And?"

"There was once a kingdom."

"Really?"

"Aye."

"Did you find out anything else?"

"Hm."

"…"

"…"

"…"

Asher looks back forward, silent for the remainder of the trip.

About noon, they arrived at the port town, heading straight to the docks.

Later…

"Ye want me ta do _what_?!"

Sarid and Asher sat in a tavern, speaking with the captain of the ship _Paranjay. _A red bandanna adorned his head, his skin heavily tanned from being at sea, his eyes a dark grey and face having back stubble. His shirt was a dirty yellowish color, his pants brown-grey, though his leather boots were well taken care of. His tricorn was brown and sat on the table, next to his arm, and a brown coat was draped over his chair.

"Please, we need to get to the island." Asher tells him, the man waving a hand.

"Ye can forget THAT! Ever seence me eyes seen the shore, I knew it was nu'hing but the worst o' luck!"

"Captain…"

"Name's Sinbad, laddie." He tells Asher.

"Please, we'll pay you." Asher replies, Sinbad stopping, and setting his mug down on the table.

"How much?"

"…"

He took out his coin pouch, looking in to see only ten silver and fifty-eight copper.

"…Sarid?"

"I lost all my coin yesterday morning." He tells Asher, who blinks, then looking back at Sinbad and smiling awkwardly.

"How does an investment sound?"

"Like no good." Sinbad tells him, Asher sighing.

"We haven't anything to give you, yet." Sarid tells him. "But I promise you, after a few weeks I'll have something to pay you with."

"Oh ye want time?" Sinbad scoffs, picking his mug back up. "And me'd fancy meself some bars o' gold!"

"Deal." Sarid tells him, Sinbad choking on his ale.

"Ye's ser'ous?!"

"Aye. How does ten sound?"

"…Hm…" Sinbad leaned back in his chair, staring at the two. "…We'll take ye to the shallow o' the shore, but none closer."

"Agreed." Sarid tells him.

"A'ight, landlubbers, let's go haul off!" He tells the two, donning his hat and exiting the tavern with the two.

"Ahoy, boys!" He calls to the men on his ship, who turned their head to look at him. "We be takin' 'ese two landlubbers to the island of…" He looked at Sarid. "What's its name again?"

"Terraria."

* * *

**AN- So, tell me what you think. Sorry if it was a slow start…I don't know what else to say. ._.**


	2. The Island

**AN- CHAPPA TWO!**

**Sarid: Magma does not own Terraria. Any references to movies, games, products, TV shows, etc. are also not owned by Magma. Only I belong to Magma.**

**Oh, and to reply to Sensei200, the reason why Sarid is still referred to as "he" and "him", is to re-state that everyone around her views her as a man, rather than a woman.**

**It's also to re-enforce the idea into the mind that she **_**looks**_** like a man – a very elegant one that has border line feminine features, but that her build makes you think she's male. If she were referred to as "her" and "she", you would start to picture in your mind someone with a more feminine build.**

**As well, it depends on Sarid herself – if she is emotionless, she's in a state where she may forget she's a girl, while when she does feel, she remembers her gender – it's shown in a later chapter.**

**For now, enjoy this one! :D**

* * *

The Island

When dawn broke, the dark lump of land known as Terraria was on the rosy horizon. It took a few more hours to reach, the captain stopping the ship right at the shallow; not an inch closer.

"A'ight, landlubbers, you two best be on ye ways." Sinbad tells them, Asher leaning against the ship railing, looking at the island with a big smile.

"We still have the cart and the horse." Sarid tells him.

"Add on two gold bars and me'll give ye a boat to tran'port 'hem." Sinbad tells him.

"Done."

"Good." The captain answers. "Anyhow, laddie, we'll be back in a week time fer our payment, and if ye don't come out to meet us, we're expectin' ye dead."

"Understood." Sarid tells him. "Let's be off, Asher."

An hour later…

Sarid went ahead of the cart, cutting through the vegetation with a copper short sword, Asher leading the horse by its reins. They had pulled the boat they bought high onto the sandy shore, and tied it to one of the numerous palm trees.

"Any idea how much farther?" He asks Sarid. His feet ached and he had tied his coat around his waist, showing the off-white shirt he wore under it. Sarid stopped, and slowly looked around, then looking back forward.

"I'll know in a minute." He tells Asher, the two continuing on. Not too long later, Sarid stopped again, forcing Asher to stop.

"What's wrong?" He asks Sarid.

"We'll be at our destination very soon." Sarid answers.

"…How…?"

In response, Sarid stepped to the side to allow Asher to see ahead.

Across their path laid a crumbling wall of stone, over taken by all kinds of vegetation, webbing lichens crept over it like veins underneath flesh, grass swaying in the wind and a couple shrubs that cared not a bit.

"This…this was from that kingdom that was here?" Asher asks, staring at it with his brown doe eyes.

"Aye." Sarid tells him, then pointing at the top of a hill, right off to the side of the path. It was steep, and just barely could he make out the ancient steps carved into it, the seeing what Sarid was really pointing at: a stump of crumbling, vine-covered stone that had a young tree growing from it.

"…Oh…" He says, realizing it. "This was a watch tower."

"Correct." Sarid tells him, continuing on. Now that he looked at the path they went along, Asher could tell it had once been a clear road of hard packed dirt, and even after not haven been in use, plants still struggled to claim it.

After some time of the hard travel, they found their destination.

Rubble of stone covered in vegetation, wooden supports and furniture charred by fire, shards of glass scattered all over the ground. Wooden arrows stuck from the ground, which had several, random depressions in it from explosions, where water had gathered over time, trees grew from the rotting wood floors of the buildings, and rusted, broken weapons were strewn about.

The largest building's roof was completely collapsed in, the towers fallen, the bridges that once arched between them completely crumbled, the stained glass windows shattered to crumbs and throwing colored light onto the remaining walls of the building.

"…" Asher is silent, looking over the ruins. "…This…this was the kingdom?"

"Aye." Sarid tells him. "Come, we need to find shelter."

They went down into the ruins, skirting the pools of water and stepping over rubble, often having to stop and push the cart from the back to move it forward.

Finally, they arrived at the large building, broken and burned furniture all about. Asher unhitched the horse, Sarid unloading the crates from the back with surprising ease. After that, Asher led the horse to a grassy area to graze, and Sarid searched through for gold bars to pay Sinbad with.

Later…

Asher explored the ruins, looking for anything useful. He had found some tools stashed in a half-buried chest, and some metal from broken tools that could be re-used. The sun's rays were turning gold, making him look to the sky. It wouldn't be long before dark. He began gathering any wood that wasn't ruined or rotting, then started back towards the large building he and Sarid were holed up in.

When he arrived, Sarid was nowhere, but had set up a room of stone for protection, the crates of books pushed against the outer walls. Going in, he saw a furnace, workbench, campfire and two bed rolls unraveled, and a chest. He went and stored the things he had gathered in the chest, putting the wood in a pile against the wall, then walking back out.

"Sarid!" Asher calls. "…Sarid?!"

"Come hither!" Sarid's emotionless voice called, Asher following it. He climbed over a pile of rubble from a wall rather than the large, rotten wood and rusted iron doors, seeing Sarid a ways up a hill, standing beneath a tree. He trekked up the hill, coming beside Sarid to see a slab of stone, with letters carved in:

**To those who lived and died here, **

**May you have died with bravery in your hearts and a sword in your hand,**

**So that it will be known you did not pass without a fight.**

**Rest in peace, good citizens.**

A candle sat atop the slab, lit so that the flickering light glowed. With it were random objects, such as a pearl necklace, a tool with the initials _K.A.T. _carved in, a faded oil painting, a rusted sword still in one piece, faded initials on the hilt, and finally, a boutique of flowers, tied with a frayed ribbon.

"…This…is very considerate of you." Asher tells Sarid, who stares down at the slab.

"I must be that way if I am to become this island's new ruler." Sarid tells him. "I am going to rebuild and protect this place. Not even will I let death stop me."

"…" Asher blinks, looking back at the slab. "…Could I place something here?"

"If you find something." Sarid tells him. "An item that would have had some value of emotion to one of them."

They stand in silence for a time longer, Asher looking back at the ruins. The sun bathed them in gold, and past the forest surrounding them was a beautiful, snow-capped mountain with rolling plains down its side, and just beyond it was yet another, smaller mountain, and he could see nothing farther.

"…The sun sets." Sarid says, turning and walking down the hill towards the ruins. "Let's go."

That night had to be the longest of Asher's life.

As soon as the moon rose, moans surrounded them in the stone shelter Sarid had constructed and bangs on the door did nothing to help, even when Sarid barricaded it. He could barely remember a thing through the fear, worry, and being tired, but he remembered rocking back forth in a corner, Sarid sitting across him from the fire, fast asleep, nibbling at a slice of bread, dozing in and out, and the clearest one: a zombie fitting through a small gap in the wall. He remembered grabbing a branch from the fire and waving it at the zombie, only to have Sarid appear in front of him, his copper short sword in the zombie's gut.

After pulling out the sword, killing the zombie, he turned to Asher, and told him:

"Sleep."

* * *

Sarid walked through the ruins, the morning dew wetting his boots and the crisp air filling his lungs. Asher was still back at the shelter, tucked under a blanket and asleep.

He felt nothing as he walked, unable to even use the emotions he had buried away so long ago.

Many of the buildings would have to be completely re-built, and the ground needed to be evened and the water drained from the depressions in the ground. The largest building – once the castle – also need major repairs, maybe even a complete re-build.

Oh, how thoughts of what to do rushed into his mind.

It would be greatest building the world would ever have the honor to lay eyes upon, filled with all sorts of tapestries, paintings, trophies and such wonders only Terraria had to offer, glittering jewels and shining suits of armor of all kinds, vaulted ceilings and curving arches, tall windows and rooms lit with the sun.

All he needed was plenty of resources.

Stone was widely available with the crumbling buildings, and Sarid need wood to fuel fire and make torches, then-

_Splat._

_ …Splat?_ Sarid wonders, stopping. He looked around, drawing his short sword, then seeing what had made the noise.

It was a blob, green in color and moved slightly, as if bouncing. It shook, and then _did_ bounce, closer to Sarid, before being still, then bouncing again. He stabbed it, causing it to disappear, leaving three blue blobs of slime.

* * *

Asher woke with a start from his dream.

It had been horrible, some eerie voice had called to him and he had seen some grotesque flesh monster.

Just a dream, though.

He pushes his blanket off, then pulls on his coat, zipping up the front. The door opens, he looking up to see Sarid.

"Good morning." Asher tells him, Sarid tossing him three blue blobs.

"What can you tell me about these?"

"…Well…" He looks at them, sitting with his legs crossed. "They're flammable, and can be used as ammo, or smeared over bombs so that they stick."

"So I can use them for torches?" Sarid asks.

"Yep." Asher tells him, handing him the gel. Sarid went to the work bench, making the torches, Asher leaving the stone shelter. He climbed over the destroyed doors, and went down into the ruins, walking around, looking for anymore materials.

A few minutes later…

"Come on! COME ON!" Asher grunts, pulling on an axel that was half-buried, unable to pull it up. "Sarid needs this metal!"

He pulls harder, still to no avail.

"Did this turn into a tree?!" He asks, giving it another yank, only to have it slip from his hands. Asher fell back, falling into one of the water filled depressions in the ground with a splash. He tumbles through the water, able to feel the hundreds of air bubbles around him, he clawing through the water. His head splashes above water, he gasping for air as panic started to fill him.

"HELP!" He yells, waving his arms around, the water splashing more. "HELP! I CAN'T SWIM! HEEEELP!"

Asher fell underwater again, kicking his legs as hard as he could, clawing at the water when a he felt a rock under his foot. He pushes off it, a root jabbing into his back, but he grabbed it, pulling himself out of the water, gasping for breath. After regaining it, he drags himself onto the solid ground, laying on his stomach.

_That…was terrible…_ Asher thinks, panting. After a moment, he lifts his head, then stopping.

Right in front of him was a teddy bear.

It was faded and ragged, the stuffing coming out from where the left arm was missing, and one of the button eyes was gone, the tangled thread remaining.

"…Oh…" He says, pushing himself up. Carefully, he picks up the teddy bear looking at it. It was old, and there was a small tag on it with the initials_ P. S. T. _ on it.

Asher stood, and went to the hill where Sarid had put the memorial, putting the bear at the base of it.

"ASHER!"

He looks over his shoulder, seeing Sarid running up the hill.

"I heard your yell. What happened?" He asks, still showing no emotion.

"I fell into one of the ponds." Asher tells him. "I can't swim…"

"Ah." Sarid answers. "Forgive my lateness. I was examining the mine."

"Mine?" Asher blinks, Sarid waving a hand for him to follow. They descend the hill, skirt the ruins until they arrived at the southern area, an opening in the base of the hill there.

"That mine." Sarid tells him. "It's suffered cave-ins and flooding, but that can be fixed."

"Wow…"

The rest of the day was spent clearing out some of the houses in the ruins, rebuilding them made of nothing but stone bricks, and furnishing one.

"Here you are, Asher." Sarid tells him, he looking around the house. The first floor was nothing but a study, filled with bookshelves packed with the books he had brought, a desk and chair for him to sit at, an abacus, quill and inkwell, as well as papers to write on.

Upstairs, there was a kitchen stocked with clay dishes, a cook pot, cupboards, table with chairs, a bed room with dresser, bed, night stand, rug, reading chair, and a door to a bath room.

"Wow…" Asher says, walking through the rooms, then going back to the first floor where Sarid stood in the doorway. "Thank you! This place is much nicer than my old house."

"It will be nicer once I have more materials." Sarid tells him. "Hopefully you'll have some sleep tonight."

"Alright…sleep well!" Asher tells him.

"Same for you." Sarid replies.

Later, Asher had changed and laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, moonlight coming through the windows. He had to wonder if Sarid had done anything with the stone shelter.

* * *

Sarid laid on his bed mat in the stone shelter, which was fixed completely with solid stone walls and some windows.

He turned his head to look into the fire, remembering back to where he lived before he was branded a traitor…

It was a good thing that had happened for him.

The army wouldn't look for him when they found out he had left…

Except, they were too prideful.

* * *

Doc sat on his porch, rocking in his rocking chair. The sun was getting lower, bathing the town in gold light.

_Ah…Nice and peaceful…_ Doc thinks. Children ran about, laughing and playing, neighbors sat out on the porches, resting and reading.

Yes, this was the time of the day where everyone just sat back and enjoyed the peace…

Until a horse whinnied.

People went to the edges of their porches, pounding hoof beats coming fast and fierce up the dirt road, right into the main area where Doc's porch faced.

Three riders, one on a black horse, one a bay and another on a chestnut. The first seemed to be the head, the other two right behind him. Their saddles were military issue, their navy cloaks having the brooches with the army insignias, hoods over their heads, and their blue uniforms showing.

They rode in a circle, then to the center, where the head rider stopped their horse, which reared up on their hind legs.

He threw his hood back, showing his black hair and dark grey eyes, which held a look of authority, and were half-lidded.

"Attention, citizens!" He shouts, people gathering around, while Doc continued rocking in his chair.

"We are here searching for a cowardly traitor!" He states, taking a roll of paper from his coat, flicking his wrist down so that it unrolled, people's eyes widening, the boy having his horse walk in a slow circle, so that everyone could see.

It was picture of Sarid.

"This man is charged with deserting the Kingdom Army without serving his five years! Anyone who assists him shall be charged with Second Hand Treason! Anyone who hides him shall be charged with Second Hand Treason! Anyone who refuses to give information pertaining to his whereabouts will be charged with Second Hand Treason!" The lead rider yells.

"Any information regarding this man is to be relayed straight to our post in Halgo City, five miles north!" He turned to look at the two riders with him, exchanging words. The three trotted to the inn, dismounting their horses and handing the reins to the stable boy.

They walked around town, asking about Sarid, before the leader walked up onto Doc's porch, holding up the wanted poster.

"I have been told that you know this man." He tells Doc, his voice full of authority. "Tell me everything you can on this traitor."

"Hm…" Doc hums, taking the poster, and pushing his spectacles into place. "Well, let's see…"

"Do you have any information or not?" The solider asks, impatient.

"Well, my memory isn't quite what it used to be, sonny." Doc tells him. "Blonde hair…bright blue eyes…around 16! Well, what can you chase him for?"

"Did you not listen?!" The solider hisses. "He ran off before serving his five years!"

"Well, you need to go back and learn your manners." Doc tells him. "You won't get far with that attitude."

"Do you know anything or not?!" The solider asks, again.

"Well, blue-eyed blonde, 16…Hmm…He does sound familiar…"

"WELL…?"

"…Oh yes!" Doc says. "He was here a few days ago! Near death, he was."

"Where is he now?"

"I'm not sure."

"DID HE _SAY_ WHERE HE WAS GOING?"

"No."

"Then stop wasting my time!" He says, snatching the wanted poster away, and stamping off, Doc shaking his head.

"No manners…" He says to himself. _I hope you're at your island, girly. They won't find you there._

* * *

**AN-To those of you who are questioning why it's sundown at Doc's place and night at Terraria, the two places are in different times zones. Hope you enjoyed it!**

**Chi-Chan – I shall make it more lovable! **


	3. The Mine

**Magma: I do not own Terraria. Any references to movies, games, products, TV shows, etc. are also not owned by me. They belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

The Mine

When Sarid woke, dawn had spread across the land, the light streaming in through the windows. He got up, pulling on his combat boots and lacing them, pulling on his pack and exiting the stone shelter that still served as his home.

His first priority was to re-establish the mine, then rebuild more of the homes. Also, getting the twelve gold bars he owed Sinbad. Sarid currently had five, only seven to go.

He climbed over the fallen doors of the castle, and down what used to be the main road, which was still in the awful state of disarray of when he and Asher had come.

Pulling out a paper, he wrote down _Reconstruct Roads _on it, then thought for a moment.

_Rebuild Lighthouse_

_ Place lights around town_

He returned the paper to his pocket, then entering the mine.

There was a very specific way he built it.

Each tunnel was to be eight feet tall – as high as he could reach – and eight feet wide. There was to be two feet between the layers of tunnels – torches could be placed so water didn't destroy them that way – and he would have it no other way.

There was room just inside the mine entrance with a rack to hang helmets on, chests that would hold mining supplies such as bombs and dynamite – when he could find it – and spare digging tools.

Sarid took hold of the rope that lead down into the mine, sliding down into the vertical tunnel as fast as a falling object.

Sometime later…

The stone crumbled away under Sarid's pick, revealing darkness.

_A cavern. _He thought, looking into it. There was nothing but inky darkness beyond the soft torch light that shone through.

A screech sounded, Sarid ducking right as a bat flew through the hole, then swung around, straight at him, he drawing his sword and dodging the creature yet again, then jumped and stabbed it.

A few minutes later, the cavern was well lit, Sarid able to see his surroundings.

It was doming dirt and cold stone, stalagmites and stalactites all around, cracked pots sitting in a cluster, while black water was mirror smooth on the south end.

Breaking open the pots, Sarid found himself some throwing knives, shuriken, coins, and a few bombs, all of which he gathered.

After that, he constructed the mineshaft through the cavern, mining a bit longer, until his stomach growled, he returning to the surface.

Upon returning to the stone shelter, he had dried meat and bread for lunch, when a knock at the door made him turn head to see Asher standing in the door way.

"Yes?" Sarid asks, still emotionless.

"I found these." Asher replies, going over and opening his hand to show pumpkin seeds.

"I figured I could start a garden with these." He tells Sarid, who blinks.

"Good. In truth, we don't have much food." Sarid tells him. "Find more if you can."

The duo left the stone shelter, Sarid working on another one of the houses, and working on Asher's some more, adding a living room and balcony over the front porch, all made of stone and furnished with normal wood.

He worked the rest of the day on clearing out more homes, finding three more gold bars.

Sarid spent the night in his stone shelter, eating breakfast the next morning before going back down into the mines, where he spent the remainder of the morning, going up for lunch, and then working on more of the houses.

This went on for a few more days, until it was time to head to the shore to pay Sinbad.

Sarid rose early that morning, still in the stone shelter, sleeping on his military bed mat. The light was still tinged with the color of rose, so he laid there a minute before sitting up and pulling on his combat boots.

He loaded the gold bars into his back pack, then leaving the shelter and climbing over the fallen castle doors, stopping at the summit of them.

Already the area showed signs of civilization, with the houses in mid-construction and Asher's small garden having sprouts dancing in the wind, and parts of the roads had been worked on, as to make walking less dangerous. Water still pooled in the depressions – something that needed fixing – yet the area no longer looked like crumbling ruins; something neglected and forgotten by mankind to never be found.

And he had only been on the island for a week.

Looking at his hands, he wondered what else he could do with them. Use them as tools of creation or weapons of destruction came to mind – but the latter was only for those who were his enemies; ones who would destroy this place and abuse the resources it had.

He continued on, walking the near-lost road to the beach, the sand shifting under his feet and the morning sun shining, its rays being thrown off the surface of the water.

He sat down, watching the ocean for the _Paranjay. _

In truth, what he watched was a bay, as the land went around and curved, making an opening big enough for two large ships to pass through, meaning it was possible to stop a sea invasion should one ever happen.

He sat and watched, when finally the ship appeared, smoothly sailing.

After a bit, it sailed into the bay and stopped at the shallows, letting down the row boats, Sinbad being aboard it and four of his men rowing, with a fifth who sat.

They lowered more row boats, filled with crates, which made Sarid blink, wondering if they planned to move to the island.

The boat with Sinbad landed, Sinbad jumping down onto the sand.

"Ahoy, laddie!" He says, smiling. "Good t'see yar not dead, yet."

"I have no plans on dying." Sarid tells him in his empty voice. "I have your payment, as well as extra gold bars, if you'll do me a favor."

"Me be listenin', laddie."

"We have few things we cannot acquire out here, yet." Sarid tells him. "I ask that you would deliver these. I will pay for you to ship them, and ahead of time to buy them."

"Hm…" The seaman hums, looking at Sarid and his empty eyes. "…A'ight, laddie. Sounds like'a bargen t'me."

"Very well." Sarid's eye looked to the man who had been sitting in the boat, a short man wearing a miner's helmet, a brown vest, grey-brown pants and tough boots, an off-white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, showing muscled forearms. His eyes were a slate blue and his singed hair was a carrot orange, a beard covering his chest. He carried a dark green-grey pack, which carried a curved pole with a lantern at the end.

"Might I inquire as-"

"NICE TO MEET YOU, BOY-O!" The man yells, grabbing Sarid's hand and furiously shanking it. "Name's Durim! Need any dynamite?"

"Sarid." He tells Durim, massaging his wrist. "I might need it for mining, though it may destroy the materials I need…"

"AH, don't worry about that!" Durim yells. "It won't destroy what you're after!"

"…Hm." Sarid hums, looking over at the other row boats, which were unloading the crates, which were labeled:

**CAUTION: EXPLOSIVES – HANDLE WITH CARE**

"You intend to move here?" Sarid asks.

"Aye that I do, boy!" Durim yells, then going over to the row boats, to oversee the crates.

"Me theenk the explosive's did sumhing t'hes head, laddie." Sinbad tells Sarid, who hums.

"I'll build a dock so your men won't have to move shipments as much." Sarid tells him. "As well as a building where you may stay when coming here."

"Thank ye, laddie." Sinbad says, taking his payment. Sarid gave him a list of everything that was needed, then giving him the money to purchase it with.

After all the crates were unloaded, Sinbad and his men boarded the rowboats and returned to their ship, setting the sails for home.

"Well." Sarid says, looking at Durim. "We'd best move these crates."

_…This boy's got eerie eyes. _Durim thinks, noticing Sarid's bright blue eyes, which held nothing. Like two bright blue voids, intense pupils like soul reapers.

Sarid easily carried some of the crates, tying two to his back then carrying three – one in each hand with one resting on both of them, forming a pyramid. Durim carried two, and the duo trekked to the Ruins.

Upon arrival, Asher looked up from weeding his garden, his coat over the fence.

"Sarid!" He calls, running to them, seeing Durim. "Oh…uh…hello?"

"HELLO!" Durim yells, Asher flinching.

"Durim, this is Asher." Sarid tells him. "Asher, he's going to be living here."

"But…" Asher says, looking at the crates they carried.

"He'll be staying in the home at the edge of the settlement." Sarid tells him. "We'll need your horse; there are still more crates."

"I'll get her hitched up." Asher replies, then running off to do so.

After walking through the half-ruins, to the northeastern edge of the settlement, Sarid and Durim came to what Sarid had mentioned.

The ground sloped down, a crumbling set seven stairs in the ground, then the area flattened to show a two-story house, with a covered porch, and small terrace. Sarid had finished it only two days ago, and it was fully furnished.

"Alright!" Durim says, running down to it and attempting to run in, only to be stopped by the crate he carried on his back, making him fall onto his back.

Sarid stepped over him, entering the house. The first floor was the business area, where sun came through the windows onto a counter and empty shelves. There was a stair case that led to the upstairs, and another that led to a basement.

After showing Durim around the house, Sarid went and retrieved the rest of the crates, loading them into Asher's cart and then delivering them to Durim, who stored the crates into his basement.

The rest of the day was spent mining.

* * *

Meanwhile…

It had been a week since the military trio had rode through, the lead boy's name being Lance, and his two friends – twins, in fact – Drew and Crew.

Doc sat on his porch each day, rocking and watching as the men would ride through the town, getting information reports from Lance, who never had anything.

Doc honestly saw no reason for them to go after Sarid.

After all, the girl hadn't committed any real crime, and all she wanted to do was learn fighting, defense, strategy – there was nothing wrong with that, and she had been polite. True, it was illegal for a girl to sign up for the military – except to help with the hospitals, but other than that – they didn't have a real reason.

Though, Lance seemed to have some grudge against the girl.

"You." The very boy said, walking onto Doc's porch again. "I know you have knowledge of the traitor's whereabouts, tell me now."

"Fear tactic. Won't work on those aware of it." Doc says, Lance scowling.

"Watch your tongue, old man!" Lance says with bitterness. "I can have you hauled away at the slightest notice!"

"For what?" Doc asks.

"For mocking me, that's what!"

"Oh yes, and how will that hold up?"

"By-" Hoof beats pounded the ground, all turning head to see another military rider coming, this one on a white officer horse.

"Commander Flint." Lance breathes, his eyes widening, as the officer rode up.

"Lance!" The man says, his flint black hair having grey streaks and a mustache on his upper lip, slate grey eyes and few age wrinkles. He looked up at the porch where Lance stood at attention, his eyes seeing Doc.

Both men's jaws dropped.

"…Harold Flint." Doc says, Flint blinking.

"Alden Washington…" Flint replies, Lance looking between the two men with a confused look, though he still stood at attention, saluting.

Doc stood, and Flint dismounted, walking onto the porch, both men staring each other in the eye, their brows furrowed, Doc a noticeable three inches taller.

"…" There was silence, Lance looking back and forth between the two.

"…You and I have unfinished business." Flint tells Doc, who nods.

"That we do, Flint." Doc says. "…You _still _owe me twenty chocolate bars!"

"Oh no!" Flint tells him. "I drank _you_ under the table, remember?"

"After I drank you under three times!"

"No, I believe that was Noctagolitabaffin you did! Man could hold his ale…"

"Says you who only drank half a pint before vomiting all over your uniform!"

"…" The two men stood, Lance not even having any idea what they were talking about and the town's people gathered, watching.

"…" No one said anything.

The silence was then broken by the two bursting to laughter and hugging each other.

Everyone gained a confused look, look at each other and whispering.

"Ah, it's GOOD to see you, old friend!" Doc tells Flint.

"Same to you, Alden!" Flint laughed, the men shaking hands.

"Ah, everyone just calls Doc now days." He tells Flint, who laughs. "So, how are you?"

"Oh, I'm doing fine. You?" He asks.

"Well, ah ain't as young as ah used t' be, sonny." Doc says in a high voice – like how one did when trying to sound old – and with a fake accent. The two laughed again, everyone around them confused.

"…C…C-commander…?" Lance asks, bewildered at what was happening, Flint looking at him.

"Ah, Lance, please take my horse to the stable, will you?" He asks, then laughing, and looking back at Doc. "Remember when we had to do that?"

"Ah, I remember that!" Doc says, squinting one eye and hardening his face. "Boy! Take my horse to the stable!"

The two laughed even more.

"Ah, those were the days!" Flint laughs, Doc motioning for them to go inside.

"Would you like to come in? Have some tea?" He asks, Flint nodding.

"Yes, thank you!" He says, the two enter the house, leaving Lance standing on the porch.

"…" He blinks, looking out over the people, then blinking again. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, opened it again, then blinked and closed his mouth. "…What…What just happened?"

* * *

**AN- Not exactly centered on the mine towards the end, but you get the idea. And there's a reason Sarid makes his mine shafts so big.**

**Oh, and Noctagolitabaffin is pronounced KNOCK-TA-GALL-IH-TA-BAF-FIN.**


	4. The World

**AN-Time to go explorin'!**

**Durim: Magma does not own Terraria. Any references to movies, games, products, TV shows, etc. are also not owned by Magma. Only Sarid belongs to Magma.**

* * *

The World

The next few days were taken by re-building the road from the shore to the settlement, constructing a dock, and – when at the settlement – keeping an eye on Asher.

He ran about, looking at everything and examining it, even going as far as to pick up a slime. As soon as he did, it latched itself to his face, Sarid having to chase him down as he ran in blind panic, making him fall into one of the ponds and start to drown, when Sarid pulled him out.

After that, the boy jumped at almost everything, immediately covering his face to prevent such an occurrence from repeating itself.

One morning, Sarid went to his home, knocking on the front door.

After a moment of waiting, Asher opened it, a piece of toast in his hand.

"Hi Sarid." He says, swallowing the bread he had been chewing.

"I'm going to go exploring. Don't get into trouble." Sarid informs him, then turning and leaving.

Sometime later…

The trees were increasingly tall as Sarid wandered through the forest, sun light pouring through where it could. He had run across caves and tunnels, finding pots and chests with materials in them.

The air itself was still with calm, and the singing birds added to the peaceful atmosphere. Rabbits hopped about, butterflies flitted their wings, and a gurgling creek laughed somewhere among the trees.

While walking, Sarid came across a large pond, a fish jumping from the water, resulting in a splash. He marked the area on his map, as he could fish here for food.

He wandered on, and soon, he began to notice there were no birds.

It was silent.

The air was dead and still, the trees almost frozen giving the area an eerie presence.

Sarid drew his iron broad sword, continuing to walk.

After a few minutes, the air darkened more, and trees began to lose their color, the trunks turning to a bland grey and the leaves a faded purple, the same color the grass was turning to.

The stale air reeked of a foul scent, making him think of mold and rotting meat, things left better to not think about.

It suddenly grew worse.

Sarid sniffed the air, smelling fouled water and hearing a _drip _noise, as well as…something…

Turning, he saw it.

It was a horrifying creature, flying in the air and shaped oddly, with five venom green eyes and grey bristles covering it. Coming from around its mouth were mandibles, and acidic drool dripped from its mouth, filled with razor teeth with a hideous green-yellow color. Green-grey tentacles about six inches long stretched from its flanks, twisting and wriggling like worms.

It was almost enough to make Sarid vomit.

It charged towards the man, Sarid jumping to the side, it curving around as if to attack again. Ready for it, he planted his feet firmly and gripped his sword, and as it sped towards him, he made a mighty leap into the air, stabbing his sword into its large eye. Its screech of pain was awful, sounding like a person grating their nails against a chalkboard, but this screech was amplified.

He landed, the tip of his sword dripping a substance that was a dark grey-purple, and that had steam swirling from it. The creature, still screeching turned around for another try, Sarid planting his feet and raising his sword in defense.

He was prepared for it to attack his left, only to have it bluff him and turn a sharp right, its mandibles biting into his flesh.

Sarid yelled at pain torn through his nerves, taking his sword and impaling the creature, mandibles forced to release Sarid. He swung his sword, the creature flinging off, and striking the ground, Sarid jumping and raising his sword.

The blade sunk into it, and its screech worsened as it disappeared, leaving chunks of matter.

He gathered them; they had to be good for something.

Another screech reached his ears, his head sharply turning to see three more of them flying towards him.

He ran as fast as he could.

One of them had injured his arm badly, what could three do, and what if more joined them?

He'd have to steer clear of this area until he was more prepared. Armor, perhaps a stronger weapon, and more healing potions. Sarid jumped and ducked behind a boulder, breathing heavy from the fight, running and the pain that burned in his arm.

Taking his pack, he opened it and drank a potion of healing, the pain easing and the wound disappearing.

Later…

"So it was a purple-grey and had horrible flying monsters?" Asher asks, Sarid sitting in his first floor library, Asher having several books around him.

"Correct." Sarid answers, feeling his sleeve where it was torn, due to the creature.

"Here it is." Asher says, turning his book around so that Sarid could see the pages. It showed the very landscape Sarid had discovered, multiple creatures floating in the air, just like the one he had slain.

"It's called the Corruption." Asher explains. "The creature you fought is called Eater of Souls." He turned the book back around, tuning the page. _"The Corruption is an unknown and dangerous place, full of chasms and thorny clusters. Be wary of the Shadow Orbs that lay hidden deep in the chasms, as the destruction of them will bring the Destroyer of Worlds, a fierce and horrible creature that is many times worse than the Eater of Souls."_

"…" Asher looks up at Sarid, his face paled.

"…Is…Does it really look like this?"

"Yes." Sarid tells him, standing up and pushing his chair back under the table. "Oh, and, what might I use this for?"

He tossed one of the Rotten Chunks on the table, Asher horrified.

"…Uh…Leather…Battle Potions…" Asher says, disgusted at the object on the round table, Sarid picking it up and tucking it back into his bag.

"Thank you." Sarid tells him, when an explosion sounded and the ground shook.

"Durim!" Asher exclaims, Sarid bolting from the house and running across the half-ruins and down the still-ruined steps to Durim's house, the windows blown out and smoke streaming from them. The door was intact, Sarid bursting through it and down into the smoke-filled basement, Durim against the wall, covered with black soot, more of it covering the walls and floor, the wooden table destroyed.

Grabbing the dwarf, he ran out of the house and into the yard in front of it, setting Durim down, Asher running over with a water skin.

"Thank you." Sarid says, taking the water skin, and dumping the water onto Durim's face, his eyes opening, followed by a cough.

"Ooough…" He groans, sitting up. "…Sarid?"

"Aye. You are unharmed?" Sarid asks.

"Aye!" Durim says, jumping to his feet. "And the house is still standing! Ah-ha! That's great! Quite the builder, Sarid!"

"…What?" Asher asks, Sarid standing.

"Well, I was experimenting with some explosives, and my house is still standing!" Durim replies. "That's one reason why I moved here! My old house was blown to smithereens!"

"…How…how did you survive?!" Asher asks, shocked, while Sarid retained his emotionless face.

"I don't know." Durim answers, then smiling to show his left upper canine was a gold tooth. "But I'm never leaving here!"

"…You may continue with your experiments, but I ask that when you do, that you open your windows, so that they will not shatter again."

"Will do, boy-o!" Durim replies, then remembering. "Err…I'm going to need a new table…"

"I'll get right on it. Sweep up the glass, and I'll bring new windows."

"Thank ya, Sarid!" He says, then running to do so.

By sunset, Sarid had Durim a new table and windows in his house.

When he returned to his residence, he looked about the shelter, thinking of how it would become too small…

Too small…

Too small…

His breathing rate began to increase, until his was almost gasping.

Then he stopped.

He couldn't breathe.

No there was no air in the room.

He clawed his throat, running out of the shelter and scrambled to the top of the fallen great doors, tripping and rolling down the other side, rolling onto grass and stopping on his back, looking up at the sunset sky, the bugs singing their songs and birds chirping, the first fireflies winking their lights.

He gasped.

Sarid laid there, taking deep breaths, until his heart stopped beating rapidly and his breathing rate returned to normal.

* * *

Asher had his bed turned down, dressed in his pajamas, his off-white shirt and light blue pajama pants, and was currently brushing his teeth.

He heard a knock at his door, he washing out his mouth and rushing down stairs, opening his front door to see Sarid standing there.

"Oh…Hi Sarid." He says. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes, I must research the Corruption." Sarid says quickly, Asher moving as Sarid went into the house, moving through the bookshelves and grabbing random books, some of them having nothing to do with the Corruption.

"Uh…Sarid?" Asher asks, Sarid setting the stacks of books on the rounded table, sitting down in a chair. "Some of those…have nothing to-"

"They are on arms and armor." Sarid says quickly. "You may rest, I will put them back when I finish."

"I could research it for you, Sa-"

"I can do it myself!" Sarid says, his voice raised, but with still no emotion.

"…Alright…" Asher says. "…I'll…be upstairs in my bed if you need anything."

"Thank you, I'm fine right now. Good night." Sarid tells him, reading one of the books.

"Alright, just don't stay up too late." Asher tells him, going back up to the second floor, and climbing into his bed.

* * *

_Asher…_

_ He opened his eyes to see what looked like the Underworld before him, with lava falls, and the gapping caverns dark colored and towers of the dark stone Obsidian, and the heavy scent of brimstone filled the air._

_ Asher…_

_ He turned around, seeing a river of lava, and on the other side, on a shelf of the compressed ash that made the caverns, was a doll that looked just like him._

_ Asher…_

_ Watching, the shelf crumbled, the doll falling, and landing right into the lava._

_ His chest burned._

_ He grasped his heart and fell on his back, unable to breath and yet the voice called him still. When he looked down, he saw from the river of lava, began the rise of a grotesque, lava-covered monster. _

Asher woke with a gasp.

He laid still in his bed, a film of sweat on his forehead, while outside crickets chirped and frogs croaked, as well as Zombies moaning.

After a few moments, he pushes the covers off, swinging his feet down and into his slippers, going into his bathroom, and splashing water into his face. Drying it in a towel, he stood for a few moments, staring in the mirror, when Sarid came to his mind.

He had acted a bit suspicious.

Something was off, and he wanted to ask, though he doubted if Sarid was still in the library, as it was just past midnight, judging by the moonlight coming in the windows. He tied on a robe and lit a candle, going down stairs. Entering the library, he went to the round table.

There was Sarid.

He laid on his side on the table, curled into a ball with his arms between his legs and chest, using a stack of books padded by his folded up vest as a pillow.

"…" Asher stood silent, confused. _…Why would he sleep here?_ He wondered, then approaching the table and looking at the man.

Sarid's face was calm, and gentle breaths came from his nose. Now looking at him with his white shirt on, his skin seemed more white than fair due to his platinum blonde hair. Which…looked soft.

Asher blinked, then went and fetched a blanket, draping it over Sarid, who stirred some. He placed a hand on Sarid's head, as if to calm him, then went back up to his room, and went back to bed.

* * *

Sarid woke to see early light coming from the windows of Asher's library.

A blanket was draped over him, while he was curled up like how he did back when in military school, living alone in a cave outside the city.

He quickly got up, pulling on his vest and putting the books away, neatly folding the blanket and leaving it on the table, leaving the house and going back out into the wood, going a different direction to avoid the Corruption.

It was time to discover the rest of the island.

* * *

**AN-So, if you couldn't tell, Sarid has pretty bad claustrophobia. Leave a review!**


	5. The Caves

**AN-So! Today, just more adventure for Sarid!**

**Asher: Magma does not own Terraria. Any references to movies, games, products, TV shows, etc. are also not owned by Magma. Only Sarid belongs to Magma.**

* * *

The Caves

It had been three days since Sarid had explored, having found a gigantic, living tree, a desert, a jungle, and more woods.

He also had armored himself, wearing an iron chest plate and helmet.

Currently, though, he was hard at work mining, as he was continuing with rebuilding the houses, and as soon as that was finished, he was going to re-build the castle, making it the most glorious building any one would lay eyes on.

The shaft he was in was the main one that went straight down, rope dangling and the sound of Sarid's pickax ringing through the mine.

There were many dangers in it. Skeletons, slimes, bats, and he had once run into a nymph, believing it to be a lost person.

He stopped as the stone under him crumbled, showing darkness. Dropping rope through, he slid down into the cave, holding out a torch, seeing it was large and gaping, bats flying around and the skeleton's bones grinding, while the slimes hopped and shivered.

Reaching a ledge, he dropped down onto it, drawing his sword as three skeletons charged him. The first was destroyed when Sarid's sword shattered its skull, then next took it through three ribs, then decapitation, and the third was ready.

Its arms of bone swung at Sarid, he blocking with his blade, and then jumping back, about to lunge with his blade, when it leapt forward and clawed his cheek, sharp bones digging through his flesh. His sword swung up and struck the skeleton, knocking it back, then dashing forward, his sword turned so it went between his ribs, Sarid swinging the blade so the skeleton was caught, he bashing it against a rock, the monster falling apart.

He gathered the coins they had dropped, then walked, holding out a torch to light his way. Climbing and jumping, he traversed the cavern, breaking open pots and, eventually, coming across a cabin.

It was far into disrepair, the door hanging on by only a single rusted hinge, the wood that made it rotting and covered with mildew, a long forgotten lantern hanging outside it, cold and dead.

He entered, seeing destroyed furniture covered in cobwebs, a shattered chandelier laying on the floor, a golden chest sitting to the side.

What caught his attention, though, was the only other light source in the room.

It was a red crystal, shaped like a heart and giving off a soft red light. He could almost hear a hum, soft and sweet, radiating from it.

As he went closer to it, it hummed more, he reaching out a hand and touching it, the surface smooth and – surprisingly – warm.

Sarid mined it, holding it in his hands. As he raised it, the glow around it brightened.

Then it shattered.

The shards turned to a glowing red light that wrapped around his arms and absorbed into his flesh, leaving nothing, but, he somehow felt stronger.

Looting the chest, he found rather odd boots, green in color and with wings on the sides. As well, a strange contraption, both of which he put into his bag.

After return to the surface, he went to Asher's house, knocking on the door, then entering.

"Asher?" He asks, the boy looking up from one of his books.

"Hey Sarid!" He says. "Did you sleep good?"

"Yes…thank you…for…the blanket." Sarid tells him, approaching the round table, pulling out the boots he had found, as well as the contraption. "Could…you inform me of…what these are?"

"Ah, right away!" Asher replies, getting up and disappearing into the walls of bookshelves, coming back after a few moments with two books, sitting back down.

"The boots are called Hermes Boots, after moving in them for a bit, you'll get a speed boost." He tells Sarid, closing the book and picking up the next.

"And this contraption is called an Extractinator. When you put silt and slush into it, it'll spit out gems and coins." He explains, Sarid blinking.

"Thank you." Sarid tells him, returning the items to his pack. "Enjoy your books; if you need me, I'll be working on homes."

"Alright, be careful!" Asher calls, Sarid exiting the house.

After finishing three houses, he went and started drawing plans for his castle, and then used the Extractinator, receiving several coins and precious gems.

He managed to sleep in his shelter that night, then at dawn, he roused himself, fetched Asher's horse and carriage, and rode down the road he had cleared to the bay, where the dock was empty, Sarid sitting at the end of it, watching for the _Paranjay._

The building for them to rest in had been started, the first floor was done, but empty. He'd have to build a second – and possibly third – floor and furnish them.

The ship arrived and docked, the men unloading the crates of supplies Sarid had ordered, he checking them off from a list. After everything was checked off, they continued unloading more crates, these filled with medicinal supplies.

"Why are these here?" Sarid asks Sinbad, the captain grinning.

"Ye got a new resident, laddie." He tells Sarid, his teeth very white for a sailor. "An' she's a'beauty!"

Looking up, Sarid saw a young woman walking down the gangplank.

Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail and her bangs were cut above her eyebrows. On her head was a small, white medical hat with a red cross on the front.

She wore a white dress with a row of buttons aligned on the right, short sleeves and skirt stopping a hand above the knee. On her left sleeve was another red cross, and the shoes she wore were short red heels.

Behind her green eyes was vast knowledge.

"Hello, I'm Hannah." She tells Sarid. Reaching out a hand.

"Sarid…You're a doctor?" He asks, the woman nodding, and drawing her hand back to her side.

"You met my father about three weeks ago; in that small village." She says, Sarid blinking. It would explain why her eyes were familiar.

"Yes, a kind man. I trust you are well trained in your practice."

"I am."

"Good. Another resident is a demolitionist. I had to re-place his windows and table not too long ago."

"Oh boy…" She sighs, a sailor coming down the gangplank, carrying a trunk.

"Wher'd ye liek this, miss?" He asks Hannah. His skin was a darker shade of brown, and a faded green bandana covered his head, he wore a grey vest and sash around his waist, his pants the same faded green color as his bandana. His feet were bare and heavily callused, he being taller and broader shouldered than the rest of the crew, as well as a bit older looking.

"Sarid?" She asks, looking at Sarid.

"You may set it here, I can carry it." Sarid tells him, the sailor nodding and putting it down.

"Good day, Sarid, Miss Hannah." He says, going back up the gangplank.

"I trust none gave you trouble?" Sarid asks Hannah.

"Only one." She says flatly, pointing over her shoulder onto the ship and one sailor, who stood staring at her hair.

Sarid took a piece of stone from his pocket, throwing it at the sailor, it striking him right in his forehead, causing him to fall down.

"If that doesn't get through to you, perhaps a knife will!" Sarid calls, others helping the man stand, he having a red spot on his forehead, Sinbad and some others laughing.

"Good shot, laddie!" Sinbad laughs, slapping Sarid on his shoulder blade. "Me'd love t'stay an' let ye whip 'em inta shap' more, but we gat t'sail while th' wind's at aur favor."

"Understandable." Sarid says. "Sail safely, Sinbad."

"And ye don't get inta any trooble ei'her, laddie." He replies, going back up the gangplank.

They prepared to sail, Sarid loading the crates onto the cart, tying them down, Hannah sitting in the driver's seat.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" She asks, Sarid shaking his head.

"You don't have the physical strength to move them, thank you for your offer, though." He says, the nurse blinking.

Something about how the boy talked and the look in his eyes, attentive but completely emotionless was strange.

The _Paranjay _had sailed out of the bay by the time the crates were loaded and tied down, Hannah talking the reins and whipping them, the horse trotting forward. Sarid was on the top of the crates in the back, his bow ready should any danger arise.

"So how's Asher?" Hannah asks after a bit, Sarid looking down at her.

"Well, but gets into trouble. Almost drowned twice."

"_Twice?"_ Hannah asks, looking at Sarid with an amazed look on her face.

"Aye." Sarid replies, the woman laughing.

"Yes, that's Asher all right." She laughs, Sarid sitting quiet for a moment.

"…How do…you…know him?" Sarid asks.

"Oh, we're very close." Hannah replies, Sarid sensing some kind of darkness around him. "We grew up together, played with each other, read books, though I remember how terrified he was of swimming. We weren't able to spend as much time together when I started my medical practices with my father."

"…I see." Sarid replies, gripping his bow hard enough to the point his knuckles were white. "So…did…you two…ever…"

"What?" Hannah asks, looking over her shoulder, getting a surprised look. She swore she could see dark fire around Sarid, whose teeth were grit together, as if struggling to form a word.

"…Are…you okay?" Hannah asks, Sarid blinking, then rubbing his face with one hand.

"Aye." He says, then turning his back and gripping his bow again. She had to be five years older than Asher, twenty-two?

The settlement came into view, Asher tending his garden, which already had plants bearing produce.

"Asher!" Hannah calls, he looking up and a big smile appearing on his face.

"Hannah!" He calls, running from his garden and the nurse jumping down from the driver's seat, so they could hug.

Still crouched on top of the crates, Sarid had a dark fire raging around him, gripping his bow.

"Sarid!" Asher says, looking up at him. "This is my cousin, Hannah!"

"…Cousin?" Sarid asks, his grip relaxing.

"Yeah." He says, Hannah looking up at Sarid.

"Our fathers are related." She says, Sarid sitting there for a moment before jumping down and putting his bow away.

"Well Hannah, you may have any house you like, just inform me and I'll unload your things. All of them are furnished, only the layouts are different." Sarid tells her quickly.

"…" Asher and Hannah stand there for a moment.

"Err…I'll…take the one right here…next door to Asher's…" Hannah answers.

"Very well, I'll unload supplies." Sarid hastily replies, untying the ropes that held the crates down, then grabbing them and taking them into the house, putting them where Hannah asked.

After everything was unloaded, he went to unload the things he had ordered when Hannah stopped him.

"Could I ask a favor?" She asks.

"…Hm?" Sarid hums, she pointing to the back wall. "I need more room for this place. If you could make some more rooms, that'd be nice."

"I'll do it when I can." He replies, then going and unloading what he had ordered.

The rest of his day was taken mining stone before retiring to his stone shelter for the night.

The next day, he rose early and went right to work, turning the stone to grey bricks, and re-building the houses, which he finished just after noon.

"They look good." Turning head, Sarid saw Asher standing there, looking at the completed homes.

"Thank you. They're less likely to be destroyed." He says, looking back up at them. "They're made entirely of stone. No wooden floors that will catch fire."

"That's good." Asher tells him.

"I'd best get back to the mine." Sarid says. "I've struck a gem cave, and I require the stone for re-building the castle."

"Alright." Asher replies, Sarid about to walk. "But uh…I know you've worked on the roads through this place, but…what are you going to do with the water?"

"I've a plan for it." Sarid tells him, walking toward the mine.

* * *

**AN-…I have no idea what to say.**


	6. The Shadow Man

**AN-TO THE MINES! For stuff!**

**Hannah: Magma does not own Terraria. Any references to movies, games, products, TV shows, etc. are also not owned by Magma. Only Sarid belongs to Magma.**

* * *

The Shadow Man

The gem cave had been promising, having sapphires and diamonds within it. Sarid leaned against the rock, one foot against it, holding one of the diamonds in his hand, staring at how beautifully it reflected the torch light.

"Truly you tell a story, shining gem. For once you were nothing but a lump of coal to be burned, yet when the fire and pressure came, you refused to crumble, and instead became a thing of beauty…" He says, turning it slowly in his hand, when the thought occurred to him.

Heat and pressure.

Heat.

Lava.

…How far underground was he?

Now that he thought about it, underground rivers and lakes had become smaller and smaller, and it seemed the temperature had gone up.

Rather than going down, he began mining outwards, breaking into more caverns, finding coins upon coins, bombs, grenades, weapons, ores, a flare gun, and monsters that he battled. Some were dressed as miners, their helmets still having a glowing light.

He drew his sword from one, the fabric of the shirt clinging to it, even when it disappeared, leaving coins and two bombs. Tearing the fabric off, he saw a symbol on it.

It was faded and worn, but he recognized it well enough.

A circle with two olive branches around a crown, the word _TERRARIA _arching over the crown.

Sarid stared at it, then slowly turned and approached a torch he had dropped when a bat had attacked him.

He held it out, then released it so it fell into the torch fire, the fabric catching fire. Sarid stood and watched it turn to ashes, when he turned his back and left it, holding out another torch to see. He came upon a spot where the stone rose up, like a wall, he jumping over it.

Then fell.

The ground rushed up, he landing on his feet like how he had been taught, but pain rushed through him upon impact, having not needed to land from such a height before.

He rolled on his back, wincing from the pain when he opened his eyes.

He couldn't tell how far he had fallen, though he had practiced enough to take forty feet – with minor pain. The area he lay on was the smooth bottom of stone, the torch light showing the smooth walls.

Walls.

He shot up, causing more pain, but it was little compared to the horror that was engulfing him.

The area he was in was about six feet by six feet, and went straight up with smooth walls.

Sarid's breathing rate increased, his eyes darting around, horrified as the walls began to move closer in and the way out went higher up. Not feeling the pain from movement, he scrambled back against the wall, sliding down it as the walls enclosed him more and more his face filled with terror.

She cried out for help.

She screamed and cried, tears streaming down her face while she shook with fear, her very being rattled.

She couldn't breathe.

Sarid gasped for breath, but it wouldn't come to her, and the flickering shadows began to dance and watch her as she cried and gasped for air, mocking and laughing at her misery.

No air…

No air…

No air…

* * *

Asher walked along the street, hoping to chat with Sarid when he came up from the mine.

The sun went lower and lower in the sky, to the point the stars were clearly visible, he still sitting outside the mine.

_…He's always up here by now…_ He thought, going into the entrance, and to the main shaft, looking down it.

The mine was obviously well lit, and stretched down extremely far, that he couldn't see the bottom.

"SARID!" He called down it, his voice echoing down, and met with silence.

"…" He couldn't hear anything, which worried him.

"_SARID!"_ He yelled again, growing worried, and feeling that something was wrong.

As fast as he could, he ran to Hannah's house, throwing open the door.

"Something's wrong!" He yelled, his cousin looking up at him.

Durim was sitting on the table, having a bandage wrapped around one of his burly arms, his beard singed, face and clothes covered in soot.

"What?" Hannah asks, Durim raising his bushy brows.

"Something – I think – Sarid…" Asher tells them, his mind racing.

"What about Sarid?" Durim asks.

"Asher, what's wrong?" Hannah asks in a serious tone, Asher gulping.

"I think something happened to him in the mine!" He blurts. "He's always out a couple hours before sundown and he didn't come out, and when I yelled down the mine nothing came back!"

"You two, go find him and bring him straight here!" Hannah orders, Durim jumping from the table, he and Asher running to the mine, while Hannah cleared off the table entirely, getting it ready for anything.

* * *

Sarid stirred at the sound of her name.

Opening her eyes, horror clawed her when she saw a man of shadows crouched before her, staring through her with demon red eyes.

_"Sarid…" _A voice said, hollow and empty, he putting on of his dark hands on Sarid's head.

_"Are you afraid?"_

_ "You remember the day you met me?"_

That day.

That horrible day.

It all flashed before her, burning buildings and bloody screams, swarming monsters and clashing weapons…

The room.

Her heart rate increased with the memory of it, the small, almost empty room with no natural light…

The man of shadows leaned toward her, right in her face, hand stroking down her hair so it was on her cheek.

_"Did daddy leave you all alone?"_

Sarid couldn't breathe.

Faintly, somewhere, she heard someone call her name.

The man of shadows looked up and over his shoulder.

_"Playing hero…"_

He looked back at Sarid, who had tears streaming down her terrified face.

_"Don't worry, I'll fix him…" _

He stood and stepped back, melding into the shadows on the wall.

Sarid saw the walls again, which sent her mind into a blind state of trepidation and fright, that everything went dark.

* * *

Asher heard Sarid.

He was shrieking.

Never in his life would he of thought that any mortal could have produced such a chilling sound of fear that raised the hairs on his head and made him shake.

He followed where the yell had come from, coming to a cavern with less torches than normal, looking around for where Sarid could be.

"SARID!" He yells, listening.

Nothing.

Looking around again, he saw that an area had a dim light, he running to it, looking over a short wall of stone, he saw a drop of forty feet to a flat stone bottom, where a torch laid and a dark hole in the wall was.

He tied his rope to a stone column, then used it to get down to the bottom where the torch was, his feet touching the bottom. There was no blood, which brought some relief to him, he looking through the hole in the wall, barely any light able to get through from the torch. He could just make out shapes, but none looked like a person.

"Sarid?" He asks.

One of the shapes moved.

"…Asher?" A small, sad voice asked, he picking up the torch and climbing through the hole, the light showing Sarid on his knees behind a gold-colored chest, arms on top of it.

His eyes were terrified and red, face streaked with tears, and breath heavy.

"…Sarid?" Asher asks again, unable to believe that this was him.

"…Ah-Asher…" He croaks, suddenly jumping over the chest and latching onto Asher, hugging him hard enough to the point where he feared Sarid would break one of his ribs.

"Are you okay?" He asks, Sarid silent, his shoulders beginning to jerk and he cried. "Uh, I-It's okay! D-don't cry!"

Sarid continued to sob into Asher's coat, he standing without the slightest idea on what to do. He gingerly hugs Sarid with his free arm, his hand holding Sarid's head.

Having no idea what else to do, he let Sarid sob until he stopped, standing silent.

"…Sarid?" Asher asks.

"…" He looks up, his eyes emotionless, but attentive, like before.

"…You alright?" He asks, Sarid blinking.

"…Aside from the injury I suffered from the fall, I'm alright." Sarid says, pain then obvious on his face.

"I'll get you to Hannah's." He tells Sarid.

Later…

Asher and Durim waited outside Hannah's house, Asher having had to carry Sarid there to his injury.

They stop when Hannah opens the door, looking at them.

"He's fine. Be up and about by tomorrow morning." She tells them, Asher sighing with relief.

"Good to hear!" Durim says in his booming voice. "Best get back home, see you two tomorrow!" He walks off, Asher looking up at his cousin.

"Can I see him?" He asks, Hannah drawing her head back slightly.

"Eh…He needs the rest." She tells him. "I'm amazed he didn't break his legs, from what you described."

"Ah…alright." Asher replies. "Well, good night."

"Goodnight." Hannah tells him, he walking next door to his house.

Closing the door, she sighs.

_Well, you certainly had me fooled, Sarid. _

Going over to the table, Sarid had a blanket over her, tucked under her chin, another blanket folded and under her head.

_Small enough and muscular enough to pass as a man, and not having any sign of emotions definitely helps…But really, how'd you not break your legs…? You no doubt trained somewhere, and from what Asher told me, sounds like you went to military school… _Sarid stirred some, brows furrowed.

_Pain from the wounds. _Hannah thinks, retrieving some medicine, and pouring it into water, then going back to Sarid, putting drops of the water on her lips. Sarid licks them, Hannah putting more water on Sarid's lips until enough had been consumed.

After putting the supplies away, Hannah went up to her room for the night.

* * *

The settlement was quiet. Or, the residents were, tucked in bed and dreaming, while zombies – fewer than before – roamed outside, with crickets chirping and, somewhere, a nightingale sang his song.

But none of that mattered.

No, not in the fevered dream haunting through Sarid's mind, where her being was overrun by mortal fear by the man made from shadows.

He stood next to the table, watching Sarid as her breath was heavy and sweat rolled down her forehead fevered from the nightmare he was inflicting upon her, remembering that day and that room.

_"Remember Sarid…Remember daddy left you. Remember what he told you…"_

He leaned over, hovering above her face.

_"Remember the screams…Remember the monsters, people being dragged away and slaughtered, the scorching flames that burned the people, the shadows that went straight through them…Remember watching him be dragged away."_

Her breath grew heavier.

_"Remember…how USELESS you were…to be sent away…Remember…"_

* * *

Sarid woke with a gasp, shooting up, pain throbbing from her injuries.

"…" She looked around the room, Hannah's Clinic, to see it empty and dark.

Silence.

Laying back down, she pulled the covers back over head, and cried herself to sleep, like she had done so many times before.

* * *

Morning came, Hannah downstairs bright and early to find Sarid pulling on his vest.

"Oh no," she says, Sarid looking up at her with his emotionless eyes. "Sit down. You're not leaving until I make sure your wounds are healed."

"…" Sarid stands silent, but sits on the table.

After the check, he stands again, pulling his vest on, Hannah holding out a jar of lollipops.

"Would you like one?" She asks.

"No thank you." Sarid replies, pulling on his pack, Hannah putting the jar back on a shelf.

"Well, be careful. I don't to see you jumping off anymore cliffs." She tells him, he nodding.

"Good day." He tells her, about to leave when she stops him.

"And Sarid?"

"…" He looks over his should, his emotionless eyes staring at her.

"Take it easy for a bit. To my understanding, you also went through some emotional trauma." She tells him.

"…" Silence, but a simple nod, and he left.

He went back to his stone shelter, storing away materials he had gotten while mining, then gathering house supplies, and going back to Hannah's.

The day was spent building the additional wing onto her house, putting in storage cabinets for all her medical supplies, and improving her current office, adding a wall to separate a sitting area from the examination room, and another so she as well had an office.

In the new wing, Sarid furnished it with counters and several beds against the walls, each one divided in sections by curtains.

It was finished a couple hours before sun down.

Hannah walked through, looking at the waiting area, office and examination room, then into the new wing, which surprised her.

"In case several people are injured at once, or a patient needs to stay overnight." Sarid explains, Hannah looking at him.

"Sarid, there are ten beds and only four people living here." She tells him.

"At the rate the settlement is growing, there'll be more soon enough." He tells her. "…What all did Asher say?"

"What?"

"…When…he brought me here…what…did he say…"

"Well, he found you in a complete mess." Hannah starts, Sarid standing by and watching as she moved about, moving her medical supplies. "Said that you hugged him and cried for a few minutes, and he had absolutely no idea what to do the whole time.

"Then he also said he had no idea what made you so scared, and from the sound of it, the hole you made through that wall was made from when you were so terrified it caused the Acute Stress Response."

"Pardon?"

"The 'flight or fight response' as it's more commonly known." Hannah explains, stacking boxes of medicine into a cabinet. "You were so terrified that it made you take action to escape it. I'm guessing you have some pretty awful claustrophobia."

"…" Sarid stands silent. "…Is…did he say anything else?"

"Well, I had to kick him and Durim out because they were panicking so much I couldn't concentrate." Hannah sighs, stocking bandages away. "Though, Asher did want to see you before he left last night, but I told him you needed the rest…"

She looked over at Sarid, an eyebrow raised.

"But why didn't you say you were a girl?" She asks, Sarid blinking.

"I've no reason to." He tells her. "If the country found out, they'd take us much less seriously…and I have no quarrels being seen as either gender, that does not make who I am…"

"And what about Asher?" Hannah asks.

"…" Sarid blinks. "…What about him?"

"Well, what if he finds out you're a girl?" Hannah asks, leaning back against the wall.

Sarid's fist struck the wall not too far from her head.

Her eyes were wide, looking down his arm, and into his soulless eyes.

"What are you implying?" He asks.

"…" Hannah blinks, then steps away, clapping her hands together, weaving her fingers.

"I _just _remembered!" She says. "Durim needs to come back so I can check the burns he got yesterday!"

"…" Sarid blinks, lowering her arm. "I'll inform him."

He left, going to Durim's house to see the man outside, fiddling with several bombs. Looking up, he saw Sarid approaching, a smile spreading across his face.

"Sarid!" He calls. "Good to see you up and about! Wanna play fuse chicken?"

"No thank you." Sarid tells him. "Hannah needs you to stop by the Infirmary to check your burn wounds."

"Alright, boy-o!" He says, dropping the bombs he had been carrying and running off to do so.

Sarid noticed the still crumbling steps that led down to the area where Durim's home was, he going and fixing them with the grey bricks he still had left over from working on Hannah's home.

After doing so, he suddenly felt very tired.

He went straight to his stone shelter, only to see Asher standing outside it.

"…Asher." Sarid says, the boy running up to Sarid.

"Are you okay? You were…kinda a wreck yesterday." He asks, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yes, I'm fine now." Sarid tells him, blinking.

"Alright, I just came by to make sure, since-"

"Asher?"

"…Uh…yeah?"

"…Thank you." Sarid tells him quietly, then walking past him and into the stone shelter, closing his door.

"…" Asher stands silent, then blinks, looking at the ruins that still surrounded Sarid's living place. They were covered with vines and the shattered glass still laid on the ruined floor, and the giant doors still laid in a mass where they had stood.

Climbing on top of them, he looked at the gathered homes, all of which were completely re-built, and well-made. The roads still needed to be worked, on, but Sarid had started plans on how to drain the water.

He turned around to look at the castle ruins, sitting down.

After examining them for a bit, he noticed there was a stair case.

A bit later…

Asher stepped carefully, watching for any weak or crumbling spots in the floor. The area he walked in seemed to be the only place that had managed to remain standing, though the rooms that connected to the hall had long since collapsed.

Except for two.

The first that he entered was large, part of the roof and outer wall gone, the furniture ruined from the elements. The room had been a bed chamber of some sort, two decayed arm chairs in front of a crumbled fire place, a smashed wardrobe, and what used to be a large bed fit for a king. There was a broken frame on the floor, but the paining that it had held was long since lost, torn and faded. Near where the floor dropped off was a desk falling apart, with a tipped over, word chair before it.

The next room, right next door, had more of its wall and roof, a large, sun-faded and insect-chewed rug covering the floor. It also had a bed suit for royalty, and furniture fallen into ruin, but what got his attention was a large, wooden toy chest tipped over, so the toys in had spilled out.

There were old dolls, a wooden sword, a smaller box with a shattered tea set, a broken tiara, and stuffed animals. There were a couple already out away from the box, as they had been played with before whatever disaster came. One of which was a wooden horse with wheels that one would pull around with a rope, and another was another stuffed animal, right next to the bed.

There was another frame with a long-gone portrait, the canvas faded to emptiness.

He stared at it, wonder what had been on it.

"Asher."

He turned, seeing Sarid.

"Oh. Hey Sar-"

"What are you doing here?" He asks.

"…I was-"

"This area could collapse at any time." He tells Asher, cutting him off, again. "Leave…now."

"…" Asher blinks, then rushes past Sarid, down the stairs he had gone up and past Sarid's stone shelter, over the fallen doors and to his house.

Sarid stood on a ledge where a wall had crumbled away, having watched Asher enter his home.

_"Remember Sarid."_

A few yards behind him was the man of shadows.

_"Remember, I'll fix him…"_

* * *

**AN- So, the man of shadows, or "The Shadow Man" is supposed to be same thing as "The Black Man" (no racism, that's what it was called.) which is how the Puritans referred to the Devil. **

**Leave a review!**


	7. The Storm

**AN- RAIN!**

**Sarid: Magma does not own Terraria. Any references to movies, games, products, TV shows, etc. are also not owned by Magma. Only I belong to Magma.**

* * *

The Storm

Two days had passed since Asher had explored the ruins of the castle, and rain came down in sheets of cold, giant water drops.

The residents of the settlement stayed in their homes, Asher reading his books, Hannah working with her medicine to find cures, Durim experimenting with explosives, and Sarid did a multitude of things.

When not in the mine, he was either working on his plans for the castle, or making the materials to build it. Having gone back and made a mine shaft through where he had fallen, and finding the golden chest where Asher had found him, he found throwing knives, some gold bars, coins, and an interesting object.

It was a mirror, with a ring of silver around its edge, round, and about four and a half inches in diameter. A chain was attached to it, Sarid able to tie it around his belt.

However, upon looking into the mirror, looking into the reflection of his soulless eyes, an odd noise surrounded him as light-colored particles appeared, engulfing him.

When they dispersed, Sarid found himself in the settlement square.

Four roads branched off it, the southern one going to the mine, the northern to the castle ruins, the western went to the bay, and the eastern to the wilderness.

The road leading south from the square had the well, and the one leading north had a grey brick object in the ground. It was two feet high, six feet in width and six feet in length, designed to be a platform to deliver news from.

The rain kept pouring, Sarid already soaked after having stood for only a few moments. He ran to his stone shelter, escaping the rain.

After a few minutes, he had changed his clothes into a sleeveless white shirt and blue pants, and sat in front of his fire, drying his hair with a towel. The sound of his dog tags jingling together reached his ears, he letting the towel rest around his neck, resting his elbows on his knees and staring into the fire.

Only a moment later, Sarid looked over at the Magic Mirror he had found, picking it up, careful not to look into it. He took a piece of cloth, wrapping it around the object, then re-attaching the chain to his belt, so that he would not look into accidentally.

Getting up, he went to work on his castle plans.

That night, while Sarid laid on his bed roll, he listened to thunder crash and saw lightening flash, as the light came in through the windows of the stone shelter.

The sound of the rain beating the room drummed softly in his ears, which lulled him to sleep.

_KRA-__**KROOOOM!**_

Sarid's eyes popped open at both the sound of thunder and a loud crash, making him get up. He grabbed his bag and a glow stick, running out into the night.

From the top of the fallen doors, he could see that a large tree had fallen on the edge of the settlement, right on top of Durim's house. Sarid jumped down from the top of the doors, and ran to Asher's home, banging on the door.

The door swung open, Asher standing in the door way dressed for sleep with a robe and slippers, as well as a candle in hand.

"Sarid? What's-"

"No time." Sarid tell him, grabbing him, which forced him to run with Sarid to Durim's house. They ran onto the front porch, Sarid trying to open the front door, only to find it locked.

He pushed his glow stick into Asher's hands, stepped back, and then charged full-on, breaking the door down.

"DURIM!" He yells, they able to hear a groan from the upstairs, Sarid and Asher dashing up the stairs, to find the tree completely blocking their way.

Brandishing his silver axe, Sarid cut through the branches, able to jump over the trunk. He went through the living room then around into the bed room, finding Durim pinned under the tree.

"Drag him out!" Sarid commands Asher, then grabbing the tree trunk, and pushing it up. Grabbing Durim under his arms, Asher pulled the man out, allowing Sarid to drop the tree back down. He took Durim from Asher, the two running back to the kitchen.

"Get over the tree." Sarid tells Asher, the boy scrambling over the obstacle, Sarid pushing Durim over it, Asher catching him. After jumping over, Sarid took Durim into a fireman carry, he and Asher running down the stairs and out of the house, straight to Hannah's Infirmary, lights visible through the windows.

"Hannah!" Asher yells, throwing open the door, Sarid right behind him. The nurse came down the stairs in a rush, her hair down and wearing a robe and slippers.

"In the examination room!" She orders, Sarid taking Durim there and lying him on the table. The man wore his under shirt and shorts, his left shoulder badly bruised and his side bloody with an array of splinters.

Hannah shooed him out, Sarid standing in the waiting room with Asher, who sat in a chair, drenched and tapping the heel of his foot, hands clasped and elbows on his knees.

Sarid paced back and forth, hands behind his head and looking up at the ceiling.

After a bit, Hannah came out, wiping blood off her hands and her hair loosely tied back.

"He's fine." She tells Sarid and Asher, Sarid closing his eyes and Asher sighing with relief. "Though he'll have to say in the Patient Wing."

Not saying anything, Sarid moves the dwarf into one of the beds in the wing, Hannah writing on a clip board, then hanging it at the foot of the bed.

"Alright, both of you best get on home." She tells Sarid and Asher, the two walking out into the rain, running to Asher's porch, both of them already soaked.

"You ever seen a storm like this?" Asher asks, Sarid shaking his head.

"No…but I'm going to have to repair Durim's roof and make it so that won't happen again." He says, Asher nodding.

"Oh, have you found anymore Heart Crystals?" He asks, Sarid nodding.

"Four." Sarid tells him. "I've also used several of the Mana Crystals you told me about."

"That's good." Asher tells him, then going to his front door when he stops, then looking back at Sarid. "…Uh, by the way…have…you felt like…something evil has been watching us? Err, the… settlement?"

"…" Sarid blinks, thinking. True, he had felt an awful shadow over him, and as if an evil eye pierced his being, and when deep in the mine, the air had a chill to it, even if he was far enough to where it had gotten warmer before.

"…Hm." He hums. "Yes…It's…"

He blinked. How to describe it when he felt nothing was a puzzle.

"…Not right." He says, Asher nodding.

"Well, get some sleep." Asher tells him, stepping into his house. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Asher." Sarid tells him, then running back to his stone shelter.

* * *

**AN- Not much happened, I know, but…It just rains…A LOT.**


	8. The Eye of Cthulhu

**AN-ONTO THE EVIL EYE!**

**Mortimer: Magma does not own Terraria. Any references to movies, games, products, TV shows, etc. are also not owned by Magma. Only Sarid belongs to Magma.**

* * *

The Eye of Cthulhu

"A'ight, laddie. That's forty-two coin fer th' shipment." Sinbad tells Sarid, he dropping the coins into Sinbad's hand.

It had been four days since the storm, Durim's house had been repaired and roof re-enforced, Sarid had made himself silver chain mail and iron boots, and now, the _Paranjay _was docked and unloading things from the mainland.

"Hello!" A voice called, Sarid looking to see a man coming down the gangplank. His hair was white and a beard went down to above his belt, his skin tan and eyes dark, dark brown.

A light brown hat adorned his head with a white feather sticking from it, he wore a long, light brown coat, brown vest buttoned up and white dress shirt beneath it. Dark brown shoes well-polished covered his feet, and he wore dark teal pants with a brown belt.

"Care to buy a ware?" He asks, pulling out a torch, flares, and lesser healing potions.

"…No thank you." Sarid tells him.

"Alright…" He says, tucking them back into his pockets.

While the sailors unloaded his wares, the merchant continuously tried to sell Sarid one of his wares, all of which Sarid could either make or easily obtain.

"If you are trying to sell me something, know I can craft or find all of them." Sarid tells him, the elder blinking.

"Well, fine." He says, then taking Sarid's hand, forcing him into a handshake. "Name's Mortimer!"

"Sarid." Sarid tell him, the elder blinking.

"Sarid? I've heard good things, friend!" He tells the boy.

"An' we've seen some bad thin's, Sarid." Sinbad tells him, holding up a paper.

It had a picture of Sarid right in the middle.

**WANTED**

**DEAD OR ALIVE**

**Sarid Forte for Second Hand Treason:**

**Refusing to serve required five years in army,**

**resisting arrest, and fighting against soldiers.**

**ALIVE: 50 GOLD**

**DEAD: 10 SILVER**

**WARNING: IS ARMED, DANGEROUS, AND WELL-TRAINED.**

**ANY INFORMATION IS TO BE RELAYED TO THE ROYAL ARMY AT ONCE.**

"…" Sarid stands silent, taking the paper and looking at it.

"You know they're serious when it has the royal seal on it." Mortimer says, pointing at the royal seal at the top of the wanted poster.

"Hm." Sarid hums. "They're going to face complications." He says, rolling up the paper and putting it into his vest.

"Thank you for bringing this to me, Sinbad." Sarid tells him. "May the winds guide you safely."

"An' may ye find fame 'en fortoon, Sarid." Sinbad tells him, going up the gangplank to the ship ready to sail.

"So…could you help me with…?" Looking, Sarid saw the man had brought his own horse and cart.

"…Well, we've three now." Sarid says.

After both carts were loaded, they traveled back to the settlement, Asher waiting.

"Hello, my boy!" Mortimer tells him, jumping down from his cart. "Would you like to buy something?"

"…Uh…I do need some soap…" He says, Sarid climbing down from Asher's cart.

"I've purchased that." Sarid says, Asher and Mortimer looking at him. "…I'll make an offer for you, Mortimer. If you over see the trade for the island, you may keep whatever profits you make."

"I like the sound of that!" He says with cheer, grabbing Sarid hand and forcing another hand shake. "It's a deal! …Now where can I set up shop?"

A few minutes later…

Having claimed a house right at the north eastern corner of the square, the first floor had been converted into a shop, shelves and counters displaying his wares.

Sarid walked among them, seeing an odd thing.

It was a dark pink color and shaped like a pig, with a slot in its back. He picked it up, inspecting it, finding a cork on the underside.

"…What is this?" He asks, Mortimer looking over at him from behind his counter.

"A piggy bank! You can store your coins in it." He tells Sarid, who blinks. "Haven't you ever had one?"

"…" He blinked. "…I don't believe so…How much?"

"One Gold."

"…"

That was ridiculous.

"I have given you a home, shop and put you in charge of trade." Sarid tells him, facing the counter. "Surely you would easily be able to cover your costs…Seventy-Five Silver?"

"…" Mortimer blinked. _ I hate it when they haggle and I can't argue with it… _"Well…Ninety-Five Silver."

"Eighty Silver."

"Ninety."

"Eighty-Two."

"Eighty-Five."

"Eighty-Two Silver and Fifty Copper."

"…Fine." Mortimer sighs, taking the coins. Sarid left with his piggy bank, going to his stone shelter and putting it on a shelf.

"…" He stared at it, then took a Copper coin, dropping it into the slot, listening to the _clink _noise it made.

"…" He blinked, spending the next few minutes dropping coins in, one by one, until all of them were in the bank, he setting it back upon the shelf.

Later on, he was down in the mines, digging through stone and dirt, when he broke into a cavern. Dropping a line of rope down, he listened for any noise that would give away the monsters that roamed his mine, but none could be heard.

He slid down, the air being surprisingly hot. Upon reaching the bottom, he held out a torch, looking at the surrounding area. A familiar _creak _reached his ears, he whirling around and drawing his sword, blocking the attack from a skeleton with a sword sticking from its skull.

Jumping back, he readied himself to attack, the skeleton charging toward him. Sarid sidestepped the advance, then brought his sword down onto its shoulder, its arm falling off.

However, it struck back by striking him with the remaining arm, Sarid jumping back again when it attempted a second swing. It ran toward him, Sarid kicking a rock which slid under its foot, causing it to fall forward, giving Sarid a clear shot, which he took. His sword went through the skull into the neck, the whole skeleton falling apart.

After looting it, he went to look around the cavern, stopping at a ledge.

Before him was a pool of lava, the molten rock bubbling and churning, the heated air almost too thick to breathe.

It got cold.

The air had a biting chill that made Sarid shiver and rub his arm, when he felt as if an evil eye stared through him, the cold air holding a dark presence.

He grabbed the Magic Mirror from where it hung on his belt, unwrapping the cloth and gazed into it.

Sarid appeared back in the village square, the moon rising and rain falling hard and fast. He had been underground longer than normal. Running, he went to Asher's home, opening the door.

"Asher!" He calls, the boy's head popping out from behind a bookshelf. "What does it mean when it air underground is near frozen and evil presence pierces one's being?"

"Ah! I've been looking into that." Asher tells Sarid, coming out from behind the bookshelf with a book. "According to this, there's a beast called the Eye of Cthulhu."

"…Pardon?" Sarid asks.

"Well…the Demonic Eyes that fly around at night, it's a giant version of those." Asher explains.

They heard a roar.

The ground beneath them shook, Sarid running out into the rainy night.

Right in the middle of the square, the ground tore apart and from it rose a gigantic eye, the red blood veins pulsing and the blue iris looking straight at Sarid.

He drew his sword, the eye shooting toward him, and ramming straight into him.

Sarid was sent flying, right over the Fallen Doors, and into the wall of his stone shelter.

His face was twisted with pain, and as he opened his eyes, the Eye of Cthulhu crashed into him again, breaking the wall of his stone shelter.

It backed away, Sarid on his back.

His head rolled to the side and he forced his eyes open, looking right at an empty bottle with a torch next to it.

Meanwhile, Asher watched from his second floor balcony in horror, terrified of what was going on, and unsure of what to do.

He watched the eye rise back up, knowing it was going to attack Sarid again, right when a flame went spinning into the air and hit the Eye, the sound of glass shattering and a small explosion reached his ears as flames covered the front of the eye.

Sarid jumped to the top of the Fallen Doors, then to the ground, running to the west, the Eye of Cthulhu chasing after.

He looked back over his shoulder at the eye which still burned, a smaller eye emerging from its pupil and shooting at Sarid, who sliced it in half with his sword. A red, glowing heart came from it, Sarid grabbing it when it absorbed into his skin.

The trees thinned into a large field with tall grass, running to the middle, then turning, drawing his bow and knocking an arrow, drawing it back, and released the arrow, which lodged itself into the Eye.

More of its servants emerged and swarmed around Sarid, who sliced them with his sword. The Eye shot down towards him, he jumping out of the way and rolling, coming up on one knee, taking four throwing knives and hurtling them at the Eye, all of which planted themselves firmly into it.

It rose up yet again, Sarid taking a bottle with a scrap of silk sticking from it, and lit the silk with a torch. He threw it, the bottle shattering against the Eye making it catch fire yet again, then drew an arrow and fired it.

When it moved toward him, close enough, he took his sword and jumped into the air, slicing into it with his sword when it jerked up, striking him. He fell to the ground in an attempt to land on his feet, but to fell forward onto his chest. He pushed himself up, forcing his feet over his head, allowing him to do a flip onto his feet, then whirled around in time to slice a Servant of Cthulhu.

The Eye of Cthulhu hung in the air, slowly starting to spin.

Sarid slowly stepped back when the eye suddenly spun even faster in a whirlwind.

The iris sudden disintegrated, revealing a mouth with jagged, yellowed teeth, which let lose a bone-chilling roar into the storming night, lightening flashing behind it which gave it the impression of a monster from the realm of nightmares.

It turned down toward Sarid, who threw another Molotov Cocktail, which went directly into the Eye's monstrous mouth, exploding into flames, adding to the visual horror that it already possessed. It sailed down towards him, Sarid jumping out of the way a second too late, at one of the teeth scraped his leg, digging into his flesh.

He let out a cry of pain as his hot blood went down his leg, he landing on his side in the tall grass. Looking up, the Eye of Cthulhu was racing toward him, he rolling out of the way when it rammed into the ground, Sarid drawing his bow and firing arrows at it as it rose up again. It turned to him, Sarid throwing four more knives at it. As it drew closer, he drew his sword to defend himself, which the eye grabbed it with its teeth, flying back away.

Lightning flashed, reflecting off the eye and the sword, which began to spin. Sarid heard a _shing,_ and lightning flashed again, to show the sword going directly towards the boy, who moved, yet the sword still managed to slice through his outer arm, the searing pain causing Sarid to screech and grab the wound, his blood seeping through his fingers.

His teeth were grit and face contorted with pain while he laid on his back, forcing his eyes open. The Eye was descending towards him again.

Thunder crashed louder than Sarid had ever heard before and lightning flashed more violently, when a streak of blinding gold, purple and silver screamed from the sky and struck the Eye.

The Eye of Cthulhu exploded.

Its blood rained down, falling onto the ground and covering Sarid in the hot liquid.

"…" Sarid was silent, his eye closed. The cold rain fell on him, forcing the blood on him to drip off, and as he sat up, he opened his eyes to see a Fallen Star sitting on the ground where the Eye of Cthulhu had been flying.

He blinked, then seeing the glowing red hearts that he knew would heal him. Forcing himself onto his good leg, he hopped to them and fell on top of the hearts, which absorbed into his skin, the pain in his arm and leg vanishing as his wounds healed.

Rolling over, he laid still as the rain washed more of the blood off him, before he stood and retrieved his sword. He limped and winced as he walked, his wounds having not healed entirely. Going back to where the Eye had died, he noticed a dull purple pulsing in the grass.

Sarid knelt and pushed the grass aside, seeing a strange ore laying on the ground. He touched it, which sent a shiver through him, as if it were something dark. Gathering it anyway, he went about, finding fifty-eight more, as well as a pair of Binoculars, three gold coins, strange, purple seeds, a mask that looked like the Eye, and one of its teeth, which he planned to make into a trophy.

He limped back to the settlement, Durim standing on the porch of his home. Upon seeing Sarid, he ran to boy.

"Sarid! What was that?!" He asks, his eyes wide with horror.

"The Eye of Cthulhu." Sarid tells him. "It's dead now."

"SARID!" Looking, the said boy saw Asher, Mortimer, and Hannah running toward him, Hannah having an umbrella over her.

"Is it gone?" Mortimer asks, his face paled with horror. "That was the most…I can't even describe it!"

"It's gone…a Fallen Star struck it…" Sarid tells him.

"You're not hurt, right?" Asher asks, seeing the tear in Sarid's pant leg and shirt sleeve and the blood dripping off him.

"Not as badly…"

"To the Infirmary!" Hannah commands, pointing in the direction of her home, Asher and Durim grabbing Sarid and running to the house, and into the Examination Room, setting him on the table.

"Shoo, out." Hannah says, closing the door on the two men, then removing Sarid's armor and shirt, to show his sleeveless undershirt.

"I'm fine." Sarid says, Hannah getting her supplies from a cabinet.

"No, that wound on your arm went right through the Brachial Artery." Hannah tells him, rubbing disinfection on the wound, which stung and sizzled, Sarid closing his eyes and grunting.

"Most people would have cringed." Hannah tells him, getting a needle and thread.

"I almost had my leg torn off." Sarid tells her. "I'm positive I can handle this."

"That's good." She replies, stitching the wound on his arm. "You were definitely in military school. Only people like that or die-hard exercisers have this much muscle."

"Hm." Sarid hums, Hannah cutting the thread and tying it.

"Which would explain why it's easy for you to pass as a man." She continues. "Now take off your pants."

"…" Sarid blinks, doing as she said, pulling his pants down to show blue undershorts.

"This one seems to of healed better." She says, looking at it. "Which is strange, since that's the one that was caused by the Eye, right?"

"That's correct." Sarid tells her, Hannah rubbing disinfectant on the wound, followed by a salve and wrapped it in bandages.

"There." She tells him. "Now, take it easy for a couple days. I don't want those re-opening."

"Very well." Sarid tells her, standing. He took out the coin to pay her, she taking it, then grabbing his good arm.

"And you're staying here tonight, since Asher said the Eye broke the wall of your place, and you won't be able to run off to do what you do when the sun rises." Hannah tells him, Sarid blinking.

"Very well." He repeats, the two leaving the Examination room, Mortimer, Asher, and Durim all looking at them.

"He'll be fine by day after tomorrow." Hannah says, Asher sighing with relief.

"Well, that was…interesting for my first night here." Mortimer says, fixing his hat.

"Don't worry!" Durim yells, slapping the man's back. "Just a few days ago, they two had to drag me out from under a tree that fell on my house!"

"Oh boy…" Mortimer sighs.

"It's late. All of you should get home." Sarid tells them.

"See all you tomorrow!" Durim yells, leaving, followed by Mortimer, who was trying to pronounce the word Cthulhu.

"Get better Sarid." Asher tells him, then leaving.

"…If he knew you were a girl, I think he'd like you." Hannah tells Sarid, who looks at her.

"And?"

"…And what?"

"What would such a thing accomplish?"

"…You'd be a lot easier to like if you showed emotion."

"And?"

"…I give up. Goodnight." Hannah tells Sarid, going up the stairs to her second floor living area. Sarid went back to the patient wing, and getting into a bed.

He stared at the ceiling, the room completely dark, until he finally fell into a deep sleep of well-earned rest.

* * *

**AN-The Fallen Star thing is a true story. The first time I fought the Eye of Cthulhu, a Fallen Star hit it and killed it. **

**IT WAS AWESOME.**


End file.
